Remarks at YOG Flame Arrival Celebration

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean

Minister Vivian Balakrishnan

Distinguished guests, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening.

Fourteen days ago, the Flame for the Youth Olympic Games was lit in front of the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece.  For the first time in history, the flag of Singapore was flown at Olympia Stadium – home to the ancient Olympic Games – to the strains of our national anthem “Majulah Singapura”

The lighting of the Olympic Flame is a tradition that heralds the start of the Olympic Games.  The Singapore delegation that was in Olympia to witness the Flame Lighting and take over the Flame told me that it was a very special moment to them, the culmination of two and a half years of planning and preparations. Singapore now has a place in Olympic history at where the Olympic Games first started in 776 BC. 

The Flame has now arrived in Singapore after a two-week journey to the cities of Berlin, Dakar, Mexico City, Auckland and Seoul, bringing well-wishes from youths around the world. Through the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame, Singapore also brought the message of friendship and respect to people of different nationalities, races and creeds.

I am glad to join all of you here at the National University of Singapore this evening to officially welcome the Olympic Flame for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. 

As one of Singapore’s leading universities, NUS places emphasis not just on education and research, but also promotes the spirit of enterprise and provides the environment to encourage students to play an active part in their communities.  This resonates with the values of the YOG.  To do their part for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, NUS and its students have come forward to organise this event and recreate its journey to welcome the Olympic Flame.  

The YOG has been about individuals and organisations stepping forward, actively participating, and in the process realise what they can achieve when there is commitment, dedication and passion.  Singapore’s successful bid for the Youth Olympic Games has created many opportunities for the community to be part of the YOG, and make it possible for the best young athletes from over 200 National Olympic Committees to gather in Singapore to compete at the highest level in their age group.  

Over the next six days, the Olympic Flame will travel to all parts of Singapore in a traditional torch relay before we light the cauldron at the Float@Marina Bay to mark the opening of the Youth Olympic Games. 

In our YOG journey, let us remind ourselves that it is not just about hosting a successful event; it is also about pursuing our passions, be the best in whatever we choose to do and make a difference in our own lives as well as that of others around us. 

Let the celebration begin!  And let us blaze the trail together towards a successful and meaningful inaugural Youth Olympic Games.